Mop



April 1940- L. P. RADER I 2,196,837

MOP

Filed Sept. 28, 1938 INVENTOR [W fiaaer BY r Q I v ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 9, 1940 UNITED STATES "PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to mops of the kind employing a compressible, moisture absorbing element and means for squeezing 'said element to free it from moisture after performing its mopping function, and my improvement is directed to a device of this character consisting of few parts, all of simple and inexpensive material and form, and which can be assembled economically, while constituting a highly efficient implement.

I employ a mop element composed of spongy rubber or other suitable absorbent, compressible material and provide for said element a holder of channel-like section, said holder having a fixed fiange at one side that serves as a pressure seat for the element. The holder-is held and removably secured within an outer channel to which a handle engaging socket is also secured. Said outer channel carries hinge members that are projected through slots formed in the vertex of an angle member, where said hinge members receive pintles that pivotally connect the angle member to said outer channel. The angle merry,- ber at one leaf thereof serves as a movable seat for the mop element at the side thereof opposite the aforesaid fixed flange, and said angle member carries a handle intended for enabling the angle member to be swung outwardly to compress the mop element against the fixed flange and thereby to squeeze out the moisture from said element.

Other features and advantages of my invention will hereinafter appear.

In the drawing- Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved mop.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof, partly in section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, the angle member with its handle appearing in dotted lines as performing the squeezing operation, and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view in cross-section, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

In said views let I indicate the mop element and 2 a channel in which the neck portion 3 of element I is fitted. Said channel 2 has anoutwardly flared flange 4 extended from one side thereof, serving as a fixed seat for element I, at one side of said element, suitable means being provided for exerting pressure against the free opposite side of said element to squeezemoisture therefrom.

The channel 2 is engaged by an outer channel 5 that is removably secured thereto as by bolts 6, and said outer channel I has secured thereto a socket member I which is adapted to receive a mop handle 8, whereby the mop may be employed in cleansing operations.

An angle member A, having the leaves 9, I0, is slotted as at H through its vertex. the slots H being penetrated .by hinge members II that are extended from one side wall of outer channel 5, and pintles l3 which lie in the angle member vertex are entered through said hinge members to provide pivotal engaging means for said angle, whereby it becomes hinged to said outer channel. The leaf 9 of angle member A forms a movable seat for the mop element, lying against that side of said element opposite the side thereof that is seated against flange 4.

The leaf It) carries a handle M which normally lies along the mop handle 8, substantially in parallelism therewith, being retained in that normal position due to the tension supplied by the expanded form of the mop element. But, when the mop is to be compressed to squeeze outvtherefrom its absorbed moisture, then the user, grasping handles 8 and H in respective hands, spreads said handles apart, in which act the leaf l0 presses the mop element'against flange l, caus-.

ing the absorbed moisture to be expelled.

Variations within the spirit and scope of my invention are equally comprehended by the fore going disclosure.

I claim:

1. The improved mop comprising a compressible mop element, a channel holder therefor, a flange on said holder to form a backing plate for said element, at one side thereof, an outer channel to removably engage said holder, a mop handle socket secured to said outer channel, an angle member in pivotal engagement with said outer channel, one leaf of said angle member forming a presser plate adapted'to squeeze said element against said backing plate, and an operating handle extended from the other leaf of said angle member.

2. The subject matter of claim 1, characterized by the angle member having slots through its vertex, the outer channel having extended hinge elements that are entered through said slots, and pintles that lie in said vertex and extend through said hinge elements, whereby pivotal engagement is provided for said angle memher.

3. A mop comprising a channel-shaped holder, a handle secured to said holder, two divergent plates carried by said holder adjacent the mouth thereof, one of said plates forming a backing plate rigidly carried by one edge of said holder, the second of said plates forming a presser plate pivotally mounted at the other edge of said holder, a compressible cleaning element secured in and extending from said holder and filling the space between said plates, and an operating handle attached to said presser plate, whereby the presser L. P. RADIR. 

